Fluid control system



y 9, 1950 T. B. CHACE 2,506,700

FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July 14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l a I fife/ms B. Crmcg.

May 9, 1950 T. B. CHACE' 2,506,700

FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July- 14, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 y 1950 T. B. CHACE 2,506,700

FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1944 Tam ra/170R:

can/M04150 41mm V41 V61? 2/ ZT'LI/E'ZTZGZT THOMAS 5. CM.

Patented May 9, 1950 FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM Thomas B. Chace, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to The Dole Valve Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 14, 1944, Serial No. 544,954

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid control system, and more particularly to a system having dual automatic temperature controlled mixer valves with arrangements for combining and delivering fluids in diiferent selected quantities at different selected temperatures.

In many fluid supply systems it is desirable to deliver fluid at different predetermined tempera tures and in different predetermined amounts at different successive stages in a cycle of operation. This is particularly true of the water supply system for an automatic washing machine. Due to the fact that the amount of hot water usually available in a home is limited, it is extremely important that the use of the hot Water be as economical as is consistent with the results desired.

It is one of the principal features and objects of the present invention to provide a novel fluid control system in which wide variety of fluid delivery temperatures may be obtained through the use of only two automatic temperature con trolled mixer valves.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluid control system and bypass combination.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means for selecting and combining fluid of different predetermined temperatures in different selected proportions.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluid control system having dual automatic temperature controlled mixer valves, and having novel means for bypassing and mixing fluids of different temperatures and delivering a predetermined quantity of the resulting mixed fluid.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself however, both as to its organization. method of operation, and manner of construction. together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a fluid control system embodying the novel teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modified form of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

The fluid control system diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, includes an automatic temperature controlled mixer valve l and a second automatic temperature controlled mixer valve II. a dual mixer valve unit and while they ma be contained within a single housing if desired, they I have been illustrated as separate units in the diagrammatic illustration in order to emphasize their distinctive separate functions. The automatic temperature controlled mixer valvelil is connected to a hot fluid inlet duct l2 through a pipe I3 and is connected to the cold fluid supply duct I l through a pipe l5. The automatic temperature controlled mixer valve ll is connected to the hot fluid supply duct l2 through a pipe l6 and to the cold fluid supply duct [4 through a pipe ll.

The automatic temperature controlled mixer valves l0 and H may be of any conventional design such, for example, as shown in my earlier filed Patent No. 2,321,573, issued June 15, 1943, entitled Washing machine, having a temperature responsive means therein for automatically proportioning fluid of normally different tem peratures to maintain the resulting mixed fluid at a predetermined temperature level. The fluid, such, for example, as water, is mixed within the housings I8 and 19 of the devices I!) and II respectively, and is delivered through mixed fluid delivery pipes 20 and 2|. The automatic temperature controlled mixer valves 50 and H are preferably provided with temperature adjusting members 22 and 23 respectively for changing the temperature setting of the temperature responsive means to maintain the'mixed fluid at any of a number of different predetermined temperature levels. As will presently be understood, the temperature adjusting member 22 will be set to deliver mixed fluid at a different temperature level from that determined by the temperature adjusting member 23 of the mixer valve II.

In the fluid control system of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure l of the drawings, three electrically operated shut-01f valves 24, 25 and 26 are provided. These electrically operated shut-off valves may be of any conventional design and are under the control of solenoids 21, 28 and 29 respectively. These solenoids 21, 28 and 29 are associated with their shut-off valves in such a manner that when energized the valve is open, and when de-energized, the valve is closed.

The delivery pipe 20 is connected to the upstream side of the shut-off valve 24 while the pipe 2| is connected to the upstream side of the shut-off valve 25. A bypass conduit 30 branching oil? from the delivery pipe 2|, is connected to the upstream side of the shut-off valve 26.

These two mixer valves provide at ,a rate -'of two gallons-per minute. V T

, The: downstream sides! of the flow control -de- I 3 The downstream side of the shut-off valves 24:, 25 and 26, are connected to automatic constant rate of flow maintaining devices 3|, 32 and 33 through pipes 35,35 and 36 respectively. These flow control devices 3|, 32 and 33 are preferably. of a design similarto that described in the copending application of Leslie A. Kempton, entitled Flow control, Serial No.; 545,312, filed July 17, 1944, now Patent No. 2,454,929 dated November 30, 1948, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Each of these constant rate of flow maintaining devices .iszare-i ranged to deliver a substantially constant volume of liquid therethrough in a given interval oi time, 7 irrespective of wide variations or fluctuations in pressure'on the inlet and outlet sides thereof. For the purpose of understanding the present invention, it is sufficient to say that the constant 1 rate of fiow maintaining device 3| includes a housing in which'a seat 38 isdisposed having 29 a central openingss definedjby two frusto-conical surfaces lil'and M. Theirusto-conicalisurface Mlmerges into a shoulder 42 ,upon' which a disk 43,01 resilient materialhavinga central orifice A l is disposed. The; centralizorifice- 44aissubstan- V tially smaller. than the t-upp'eredgei oi. the .-frus'to-.

conicalsurface and .for thatreaspn' it .will be understood that as the pressure drape-across the. resilient dish 43 increases the L disk 4-3 -is-flexed..

to vary theeifective size of'theorificeAL It-has been: found that with a A construction .of; this kind aaconstant-delivery rate will be mainexample, as over a variationin pressure. irom:20

pounds per square inch to 150 pounds persquare inch-s vA-cap-45is provided-for-the housing .31 v which retains the seat member-38 in place.

The--construction of the flow control devices 32and33 is similar to that describedein connec- 4n tion-with the flow control'device 3! with the exception that-in this particulariembodimentof the .v

invention the :flow control device 33: is arranged to: deliver. fluid 7 at a substantially lowerrate than tained over a wide variation in pressure, such, for a that provided :by the flowcontrol devices3l-gand r 32. Merelyby way of example, the flow contro devices 3! and 32 may be set for delivering fluid: at-a rate of five gallonsper minute whileethe flow controldevice 33=is arranged to deliver. fluid wees, 3!, 32 and 33vare conncted to alcommon; outletpipe 3G5 through ,pipes "47,- 48- and-5A9 r spectiv y; This outlet pipe, 46 is: diagrammate' ical' ating the switchesfi I 52 and 53.. For the purpose u'strated as being disposed OVeIT a -conf taine orvtub Etwhich may,-for example, b t id 7 containing tub of -anautomatic ewashing g of understanding'the-present' inventionyitzis sufif- 7 cient to'state' that -.thecams 561".51;andizssji dlfeif driven aat'ithe same speed; ithe y bBingQPIGfErabIYfI" mounted on .av common-1 cami shaft" (not shown) drivenby a timermotor (notshown-lz- The time at ;which:a' switch -is closed and ther75 turez.

' duration of its closure is determined by raised peripheral portions on the cam. As shown, the switch 52 is arranged to be closed first and remains closed for a predetermined period. For example, if the tub 50 is to be supplied with fifteen gallons of water the switch 52 would be closed for a period of three minutes, since the flow control device32 permits Water to fiow therethrough at a five gallon per minute rate. After the elapseof three minutes the switch 52 opens. At, a latertime switch 5! closes and remains closed fo'rva period; such, for example; as three min- ;utes, which causes fifteen gallons of fluid supplied from the deliverypipe 20 of the mixer valve I ill 'to'b'e delivered tothe tub 5! At a later time both switches 51 and 52 will close, causing fluid fromzthe mixer valve It as well as fluid from the mixer valve H, to be delivered to the tub 50. Since fluid passing through the flow control device 3] as well as through the flow control devices-32 is flowing at the. rateuof five gallons; per

minute; ,the switches 5 i: and; 52 are only; held 2' close'dvfor. a'minute'and a :half, since: this period-=5 will deliver the required 'z-fiiteen gallons to the tub'SOZf; At 'asstilll'later point. in the icyclerofiop-x eration, the switch 53 closes; which: causes fluid from the 'mixer'valve i l to be delivered through the flow-control, device 33 to the tub'tll." This;

mightbeaby' way of'exarnple; a: sprawrinsee tub-Sllr The above." described example of the controlnf the-=shut-ofiff'valves 24; 25xand 26 has beencmadeto illustrate how fiuidmight be deliverediin:

automatic washing machine where a preliminary soakgiperiod at one temperature is required, then a a ivash period-at a higher temperature; then 1a.:

operationswhere aimuch smallenquantity 20f fluid: is'required. As shown, this .fiuidmighthe caused. to new for aiperiod of three minutes; which will meanp that six gallons of: water is deliveredzito the s Washerinse periodv at an intermediatetemperature;

betweensthewother two temperatures, and finallyi;

d smay-rinse at a lower temperature: To this ends-the automaticstemperaturecontrolled mixer the automatic temperature controlled "mixer valve Ii mightbe setto maintain a .constant'fluid-teme ,valif 1 0 might be set'to maintain a constantfluid temperature in the delivery pipezil of 'lGOifWhilE';

lieiratureof in' th afiuidxdeliverypipe 2 i? will occur: at 100 temperature; theiwash"period Willi-take place Under such circumstances the initial soak period? at 2 160 temperature; the wash l rin s. peridd will take place at :temperature: and%.the-sprayi-rinse-.willqtake place at 100 tem peratuiei have-a manual -switch 59 69 :;and 6"! respectively;- which-,-. when thrown from the full-linerposi 563 -51 and 58.

With theabove described fiu-id control systen'ltrol systiii each of the solenoids 327 28' andii29' In order to illustrate the flexibility of thiscoh tions} as shovvn in Figure 1, to thedotted 'lineposi-Y *t v willneffect energiz' ation of the associated so noids;"irre'spective of the positions of 'the'camsu it will readily be apparent that's; number 'ofdifier- 65 ent temperatureswmayfbe obtained rirr the I fiiiid suppliedstcrthe tub fil iwithout"changingethe sete I ting of the automatic temperature controlled mixer valves-iilandfl l-.-: With-the mixer valveg l'u set fon. loo i-andwthe mixer-valve 1| l set-random;-

the openingf: shut offz-valve :24 willto be delivered tothe-tub wat- Thempening-pf :valves124=anda-2t simultaneously cause will cause :fiui'd: toebe adel-iveredi-atil'43 temperae' The eopeningw ofi valves .24 *andiiit-rzsimuk '2 taneouslvwi-ll cause .;-fiuid: to -be delivered at 130? temperature .11"

temperature. The opening of valves 24, 25 and 26 simultaneously will cause fluid to be delivered at 125 temperature. The opening of valve 25 will cause fluid to be delivered at 100 temperature. Thus, with fluids of only two different temperatures we are able to obtain five difierent final delivery temperatures to the tub 50.

It will also be apparent that flexibility is obtained in the delivery rate of fluid to the tub, particularly with respect to the fluid from the mixer valve ll. With valve 26 open fluid is delivered at a rate of two gallons per minute. With valve 25 open fluid is delivered at the rate of five gallons per minute. With both valves 25, and 26 open fluid is delivered at a rate of seven gallons per minute. This enables very rapid tub filling of fluid at the temperature determined by the mixer valve I I.

Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention and difiers from the first embodiment primarily in the manner in which fluid is supplied to the spray-rinse shut-off valve. For purposes of simplicity, the portions of the fluid control system of Figure 2 which correspond to similar parts of Figure 1 have been given the same reference numerals.

The fluid control system of Figure 2 includes two automatic temperature controlled mixer valves In and I l which are supplied with hot and coldfluid from the fluid supply pipes l4 and I2 respectively. The fluid delivery pipes 20 and 2| of the mixer valves I and I l are connected with the shut-off valves 24 and 25. These shut-01f valves 24 and 25 are in turn connected through pipes 34 and 35 to the constant rate of flow maintaining devices 3| and 32, and then to the fluid outlet pipe 46. The shut-off valve 26 is directly connected through a bypass pipe 62 to the cold water supply main l4. The downstream side of the shut-ofi valve 26 is connected through a pipe 36 to the constant rate of flow maintaining device 33 and thence through a pipe 49 to the outlet pipe 46 of the system.

Cam actuated switches 52 and 53, or the manually operated switches 59, 60 and 6|, control the energization of the solenoids 21, 28 and 29 respectively of the shut-off valves 24, 25 and 26.

In this embodiment of the invention it will be noted that the spray-rinse is obtained directly from the cold water supply main in order to conserve the hot water supply. As the cams are shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, a low temperature soak period is provided in which fluid from the mixer valve H is supplied to the tub 50. At a second stage in the cycle of operation hot water supplied from the mixer valve II) is delivered to the tub 59. At a third stage in the cycle of operation a mixture of water from the mixer valve l6 and from the mixer valve H is obtained which is supplied to the tub 50 for a wash-rinse. The final spray-rinse in which water is delivered at a lower rate is obtained directly from the cold water supply main l4, the supply being arranged to bypass both the mixer valve l0 and the mixer valve I l.

The third embodiment of the present invention v illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings employs one bypass conduit obtained directly from one of the fluid supply mains, and employs a second bypass conduit obtained from the delivery side of one of the automatic temperature controlled mixer valves. More particularly, in the fluid control system of Figure 3 two automatic temperature controlled mixer valves in and II are connected to the fluid supply mains l2 and I4. Thus,

as in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, both hot and cold water is supplied to the mixer valve ID as well as to the mixer valve II. The mixed fluid outlet pipe 20 of the mixer valve I0 is connected to the shut-off valve 24 which in turn is connected to the constant rate of flow maintaining device 3! through a pipe 34. The mixed fluid outlet pipe 2| of the mixer valve II is; connected to the shut-ofi valve 25 which in turn.

is connected to the constant rate of flow maintaining device 32 through the pipe 35. Fluid passing through the flow-control devices 3| and 32 are passed to the tub delivery pipe 46 through Fluid from the cold fluid supply main I4 is also passed through a bypass v pipes 41 and 46.

, 3| and 32.

In the fluid control system of Figure 3, a fourth shut-off valve 63 and a fourth constant rate of flow maintaining device 64 are provided. Fluid from the mixed fluid delivery duct 20 of the automatic temperature controlled mixer valve I6 is passed through a pipe 65 to the upstream side of the shut-off valve 63. The downstream side of the shut-off valve 63 is connected through a pipe 66 to the flow control device 64. The downstream side of the flow control device 64 is connected through a pipe 61 to the tub delivery pipe 46. This constant rate of flow maintaining device 64 may be set to deliver fluid at any desired rate, and by way of illustration has been indicated as being arranged to deliver fl-uid at a rate different from the flow control devices 3i, 32 and 33. To illustrate the operation of the flow control system of Figure 3 let it be assumed that the flow control devices 3! and 32 are set to deliver fluid at a five gallons per minute rate;

that the flow control device 33 be set to deliver fluid at a two gallons per minute rate; and that the flow control device 64 be set to deliver fluid at a one gallon per minute rate.

The shut-oflf valve 63 is provided with a solenoid 68 which when energized opens the shutoff valve 63 and which when de-energized closes the shut-off valve 63. The solenoid 68 is under the control of a cam operated switch 69 actuated by a timer driven cam 16. It may also be energized through a manually operated switch H.

The switches 5!, 52 and 63 associated withthe solenoids 21, 26 and 23 are provided with different cams in this embodiment of the invention, by

way of example, than those previously described in connection with Figure 1. More particularly, the switches 5 I, 52 and 53 are provided with cams I2, 13 and i4 having raised peripheral portions as shown in the drawings. With the cams I0, 12, i3 and I4 as shown, and with the automatic temperature controlled mixer valve is set to deliver fluid at 160, and the automatic temperature controlled mixer valve H set to deliver fluid at the following cycle of operation will occur: Fluid at 100 is first delivered from the mixer valve H through the shut-off valve 25 and the flow control device 32 to the tub delivery pipe 46. At a second stage in the cycle of operation fluid is delivered from the mixer valve l0 through the shut-off valve 24 and the flow control After passing through the flow devices. a 1 T tolthel new; pipe:- aa; At? a 5- third: stagecin theacycle of v: operation 130? fluid =is de-a livered' 'tozithezi-deliveryzpipe :dfiahys'openin'gzthe; shutofi valves 24 and 2 sinceithefiowacontrol devices 31 f-andzsflu'have the samei ratefofuflow setting;;-. thexltemperaturelzzcfzi' the fluid deliveredv torth'egdeliverymipe d fi-iwill'sbe substantially 130.

;-.in .the cycle of:- op eratiOn,-;.

At ia: fourth. Istag and'J-th'e flow i contitol devices is .nnxed withd temperature of the fluid firi'ally delivered ate :the'

At a fi'fth' stage in: the cycle of "operation-fluids? from; the -cold fluid-supply main? M is passed has not' passed through eitherof :the automatic temperature controlled mixer valves; and will-(be at .vvhatever temperature the fluid in -the cold ply main is an ordinary city water tap the-water might "-be i at a temper ature ch40 "or As vvas previously-explained in connection with:

Figure 1 -o-f;fth'e drawings,- the versatility 0f 5 the Y fluid'f-contror system of Fig-ure 3 is apparent;

With only tvvo automatic temperature controlled miner-valves;- -a-wide {variety at temperatures may be obtained 'foif "the fluid finall-y delivered simply-J and'a plu ality of constant rateof- 'fiow devices.

Such' an-a-rrangement thus provides an extremely economical methodwf gettingfluidata plural-it? ofi'diiirentpredetermined temperatures and of a different-successive stages in a cycle of} opera- While thetube delivery pipe antigennns:

1 plurality of different predeterrnmed' 'quantitiesat tratedias a-"simplefpipe; it willdof course, be understood that this is -merely a* digarammati'cj I illustration-"of th'e'final delivery supply pipe to thedelivery?point. Th'i's pipe may, if -"desired,';

have--more'than one branch underthe control of rinse delivery pipe"(not'shownl will branch ofi from the main delivery' pipe 46 50 thatfthe fluid anysuitable shut-off vall ey such; forexample; aswhen a spray-rin'se is desired; The spray-" Qdelivered at any p oii'it'desiredjvithin or over news 59.?

While I havesh'own particular embodiments ofi".

a my invention, .it' ill; ofycourse; be understood1 that" I do not'wish' to :be limited -'th'ereto,-sin'ce' manyjmodificationsmay be" made; and If therefore; contemplate by the appendedclaimsytocover sgiritandf'scope of my invention. ljclai-m as myinvention:

a1 lf;such'-modifications as'fall within the true V 1;"A fillid: 301}trO1 system comprising atleastzj two" automatic temperature; controlled mixer wa nuts being ar-ranged to be 'connected'to a valves; each miner valve having a pair of inlet ducts and 'a'mixed fluid outlet duct,-one of 'said '65 source of fluid of relativeln high temperatureandga the-other being arranged to be connected .to' a;

' source offluid of relatively low temperaturegsthe;

temperature of s the ;mixed fluid automatically 7 maintained in the outlet duct being Y a prBdeterminedrvalue between saidhigh and low tempera-; tures, a pluralityiofr now control means; eachmeans includinga shutoff valve and a device for automatically maintaining a. constant a'predeter v mined rate of fluid flow therethrough whensaid 'shut-offlvalve is opened; there beingat'leasttwoi' more :fiow'control means than there are mixer; valves, eachloi said outlet ducts being: connected to the' upstream side 'of a different"oneiofisaidn flow control. 'meanS,=-the upstream side of" two additional ones ofv saidrmeans also beingicom" nec'ted; respectively: to one of -:said inlet ducts; and one of said outlet ducts,saidv'twoaadditionalu flow control means-providing rates .of fiovv dit- '7 fe'rent from-the others of saidflow control means-.1.

and-"a member providing a commo'n delivery pasa sag'eway to which the' downstream' side of each of said flow control means is connected;

V 29 Aflfluidcontrol system comprising at least two automatic temperature controlled mixeravalves, each mixer valve having a pair of inlet" ducts and a mixed fluid *outl'et' duct} one of said inlet ducts; being arranged wee connected to -fa source offluid ofrelativly'"hightemperatureand the other being arranged to b'e connected-tow" source of fluid of relativelylow temperaturewe temperature of the mixed 1mm automatically maintained'in theoutlet duct being a predeterminedvalue between said high-and low temperameans including a shut=ofi valve and a device-for automatically maintaining a constant predeter-- mined rate of fluid flow therethrough'when said shut-01f" valve opened; there being {at least tvvo more now control means than there are mixer valves, ,each'of said outlet ducts being-connected} to the upstream :side'off a'difierent oneof'saidf flow control means, the'up'stream side of twoiad ditional, ones of said means also being connected respectively to one of saidginle't'ducts andonejof' said outlet, Jducts', said tvvoadditional 'flow' cong trol means providing rates 'of' flow difierent from ij each other and alsofdiiferent from the others of said flow control'means, and a'member providing a common delivery passage-Way tojwl'iich; the downstream side of I each"-- of "said" flow control means is'connected. r V

' V THOMAS BI CHACEi' 

